Naan and Napa in an unexpected pairing
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · Indian · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 30, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Masala Bites’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
You don't walk into an Indian restaurant on Upton Drive expecting to see Caymus and Stag's Leap on the wine list — but here we are. The list is tighter than a tasting menu but punches above its weight for a neighborhood curry spot. Wine Spectator has been giving this place its Award of Excellence since 2014, which tells you this isn't an accident.
The list runs 50-80 bottles with a clear lean toward California and France — the exact two regions where Indian food and wine actually have a fighting chance together. Caymus Cabernet and Jordan Cab anchor the California side with recognizable names that won't scare off a first-time wine drinker, while Louis Jadot flies the French flag with reliable Burgundy. Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling showing up is the smartest move on this list — Riesling and Indian food is one of the great underrated pairings in the world. The gaps are real: no rosé, no sparkling, and the Southern Hemisphere is completely absent — but for what it is, the curation is deliberate.
Eight to fourteen pours by the glass gives you a reasonable runway to experiment without committing to a bottle. We'd expect to find the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling and at least one of the California Cabs available by the glass, which is exactly what a table splitting between butter chicken and lamb rogan josh needs. Rotation doesn't appear to be aggressive — this reads more like a stable program than a dynamic one.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $30
At the low end of the price range and almost certainly the most food-friendly bottle on the list. Off-dry Riesling cuts through spice, balances heat, and costs a fraction of the Cabernets. This is the order.
Louis Jadot Burgundy
Most tables at an Indian restaurant will reflexively grab a Cabernet, but a Jadot Burgundy — lighter, earthier, with enough acid to handle a complex sauce — is quietly the right move for a table going heavy on vegetarian dishes like Saag Paneer.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is a fine wine, but at restaurant markup it's almost always overpriced relative to what you're getting, and a big jammy Cab is fighting the spices on this menu rather than working with them. There are better calls here.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Chicken Tikka Masala
The gentle sweetness and bright acidity in the Riesling acts like a fire extinguisher for the spice and a flavor amplifier for the tomato-cream sauce. It's the rare restaurant pairing that actually makes both the food and the wine taste better.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Masala Bites is exactly the kind of Wild Card that earns its stripes — a well-considered wine list in a place you'd never think to look for one. Send your friends who claim wine doesn't work with Indian food; the Riesling will change their minds.
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · American, Seafood
Tautog's has held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2002, and the list earns it — reliably stocked, fairly priced, and well-matched to a serious seafood kitchen. It's not the list you come to Virginia Beach specifically to drink from, but it's absolutely the list you're glad is there when the scallops arrive.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · American, Seafood
Becca is doing something genuinely uncommon for Virginia Beach: a real wine program with a credentialed sommelier, fair pricing, and a Virginia section that respects the state's best producers. If you're eating on the oceanfront and want a serious bottle, this is the only address that matters.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · Asian, Sushi
Orion's Roof earned its Wine Spectator badge — the list is genuinely ambitious for what is, let's be honest, a rooftop sushi bar on the Virginia Beach boardwalk. The markups keep this from being a full Rager, but if you order smart, the view and the wine can absolutely justify the trip.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · American, Seafood
Eurasia Cafe is doing something genuinely better than its zip code requires, and the Wine Spectator hardware is earned. If you're in Virginia Beach and you care about what's in your glass, this is where you go.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Oceanfront · Virginia Beach · Coastal American Bar & Restaurant
The Atlantic Social is punching well above its weight class for a Virginia Beach oceanfront spot — the list has genuine ambition and some real finds. Markup inconsistencies hold it back from a higher tier, but if you're willing to hunt, there's better wine here than anyone is expecting.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oceanfront · Virginia Beach · Coastal American Seafood
Tide & Table isn't going to blow any wine geeks away, but it's a well-considered list with fair pricing that actually matches its coastal menu — and that's more than you can say for most restaurants a block from the beach. Send a friend here and tell them to order the Roederer with the oysters.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lafayette Street · Canandaigua · Indian
Flavors isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either — the list is honest, the prices are fair, and the Fox Run Riesling alone justifies ordering a bottle. Come for the food, drink the Riesling, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Near Falls · Niagara Falls · Indian
Zaika isn't a wine destination, but the Niagara half of this list is a legitimate reason to skip the mango lassi and explore what's growing 20 minutes away. For Falls-area dining, that's more than we expected.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Duluth · Indian
India Palace is a genuinely solid spot for Indian food in Duluth, but the wine program is collecting dust. Steep markups, a California-only list that ignores everything that actually works with spiced cuisine, and zero signs of anyone caring enough to change it — order a mango lassi and save the wine for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.